Hearing Aids Overview

Understanding the Parts of a Hearing Aid

Hearing aids are designed to pick up and amplify sound from your environment. These sounds are analyzed and processed into clear sound signals which are then received by your ears and brain. Hearing aids come in many different models, but all hearing aids share the same common components:

Beyond this, hearing aids will have different parts based on the style.

Types of Hearing Aids

Depending on your degree of hearing loss and your personal preferences, there are several different hearing aid options available. They are categorized by the style in which they are worn. Here are the five main styles of hearing loss.

Receiver-in-canal (RIC)

RIC hearing aids are more visually discreet than BTE hearing aids but differ only in how sound is delivered. True to their name, RIC hearing aids position the receiver in your ear canals, while a discreet casing holds the electronic components sit behind the ear.

Behind-the-ear (BTE)

BTE hearing aids comprise of two parts – a discreet casing that sits “behind the ear” and houses the electronic components of the hearing aid, and a clear plastic tube that fits into the ear, delivering sound. BTE hearing aids treat mild to profound degrees of hearing loss and are valued for their flexibility. Their slim silhouettes behind the ear also offer a nice level of discretion.

In-the-ear (ITE)

ITE hearing aids are perhaps the most familiar type of hearing aid. These are the models that sit on the surface of your ear and are visible. Larger in size than ITC or CIC hearing aids, ITE hearing aids are easy to control and a preference of people with dexterity issues. ITE hearing aids are designed to treat a wider range of hearing loss, from mild to severe degrees.

In-the-canal (ITC)

ITC hearing aids are placed in the ear canal, which lends a level of discretion. ITC hearing aids are recommended for people with mild to moderate hearing loss. Some ITC models come with remote controls, which make adjustments easier.

Completely-in-canal (CIC)

CIC hearing aids are placed further in your ear canal than ITC ones, which gives you even more discretion. Certain. CIC models are considered “invisible-in-canal” because they cannot be detected by sight at all. CIC hearing aids are designed to treat mild to moderate hearing loss.

How Hearing Aids Work

Hearing aids are designed to aid the hearing process, and in many ways, they function similarly to our normal auditory system. With normal hearing, our outer ear picks up sound that is then sent through the middle ear. The eardrum turns sound waves into vibrations, which then travel on to the inner ear to be converted into neural signals. These signals travel neural pathways to the auditory center of the brain where they are processed as sounds.
With hearing loss, one or more steps of this process is hindered. Hearing aids support the listening process by picking up, analyzing, clarifying, and processing sound data to be received by our brains.

Common Hearing Aid Features

Sound Amplification & Speech Recognition

Directional microphones capture the sounds in your environment and the hearing aid’s fast processing platform amplifies and analyzes the sounds you want to hear. Hearing aids are designed with easy volume controls to help you hear certain sounds better, while the processing platform is designed to automatically minimize extraneous environmental noise that may distract with your listening experience.

Other features soften the sharpness of sudden sounds such as the slam of a door. This ensures a comfortable listening experience.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth is an awesome wireless feature available with select hearing aids. Through Bluetooth connection, you can link up with your smartphone or tablet or TV system and stream audio directly to your ears. This also includes phone calls, which is great for keeping in touch!

Feedback Management

Most contemporary hearing aids use digital technology (as opposed to analog, in which you had to make adjustments manually), that automatically filters and reduces buzzing and whistling and remember your preferred sound settings.